Apparatus for distillation



v. L. EMERSON.' APPARATUS FORDISTILLATION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I3. I9I9.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

b NPN im I @o n NS n @313 X7@ ma V. L. EMERSON.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. I3, IQIQ. I

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

f7 I/ /f lrallllll/Avufill/4rQ v 'V. L. EMERSON. APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION.

APPLICATION man nov.13, 14919,.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application led November 18, 1919. Serial No. $37,813.

To aZZ wLo-m it may concern: B e 1t known that I, VICTOR LEE EMERsoN, a citizen of the .United States. residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia y and State of Pennsylvania, have invented A more specific application of the inventlon lrelates to the distillation of petroleum oil for the production of those distillates having a low/boiling point and separated from those having a high boiling point.

It is generally conceded that a still or boiler, the design of which has been developed under the assumption that the pressures and temperatures will correspond to that of a water boiler has proven unsatisfactory where differentand higher temperatures and pressures are used in practice. In the distillation of petroleum it is a matter of considerable concern that ample provision be made for resistance against material expansion of the metal parts. It is also found that operating conditions require that particular consideration be given to the;y means for drawing oil' the volatile substances readily.

The form of still contemplated in the present invention is generally known as the water tube type, the invention consisting in such modifications as will particularly fit it for high temperatures and pressures, and which will provide for an abundance of space at the juncture of the manifold with the cross drums so that the gases and vapor arising from the tubes will have a large space in which to separate from the liquid `without priming. The invention also contemplates the use of a rear manifold having on its lower leg a drum out of the circulating current for receiving any sediment or matter not held in suspension and that might be thrown down from circulating liquid.

It is a further object of mv invention to provide means between the front and rear walls of the headers for the purpose of holding these walls in proper relative position without strain, and at the same time enforc-` ing a proper circulation of the fluid in the still. By the means provided a structure is attained which is materially superior to the use of stay-bolts.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus designedto increase the production of distillates of low boiling points; to insure provision in the apparatus for the. ready circulation of material contained therein; to insure an even expansion of the parts :if the still, and to provide ready cleaning of the tubes and manifolds.

' It is a further object of the present invention to' provide a design of water tube boiler or still whereby unrestricted circulation is 'obtained between the manifolds and the cross drums. v

It is a further object of the invention to provide a structure com rising an integral cross drum and manifold l lThis application is a division in part of my application Serial No. 295,541, filed May 8,1919.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure l, shows a longitudinal view, partly in section, of a still or evaporator embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, the still comprises fundamentall an inclined longitudinal return drum 1 with associated transverse or cross drums and headers 2, 3, mounted at each end and at right angles thereto. The two headers are connected in the customary manner by a plurality of circulating or heating tubes 4, the whole structure being mounted upon a conventional fuel burning furnace in such manner that the products of combustion from the furnace impinge upon the front end of the tubes, passing directly along the tubes, the discharge into the stack being at the rear of the tubes.

The front header 2 consists of a structure comprising au upper portion consisting of a cross drum 6 with a dome 7 having an asso-- ciated outlet pipe 8, the drum also being provided with a rearward circular extension 9 which is adapted to receive and have welded or suitably secured to its flanges the front end of theV return drum 10. Depending from the drum is the forward manifold con- ,Sisting of two parallel spaced walls 11 and 12 forming respectively the front and rear Walls of the manifold. While the manifold as disclosed is integral with the cross drum, such construction of 'course possessing many advantages, it may be made'or cast separately, the drum formed separately, and the two subsequently attached together by any of the usual methods employed in such work. If desired, the manifold may also be made in halves and built up in the usual manner.

The upper end of the header is prefer-Y 15 ably of the same width or even greater than the width of the manifold so that Ihe liquid or gases will not be restricted in their passage due to circulation, as is the case in boilers having headers connected directly to the main drum. By thus providing a full opening from the manifold into the cross drum, an absolutely unrestricted flow of the fluid can take place and the boiler or still is thus rendered particularly free from priming. In other words, the upper portion of the header is of greater length and diameter than the width and thickness of the manifold. This provides an enlarged chamber between the manifold and the return drum and insures that the upward current from-the passages in the manifold has unrestricted outlet into this chamber.

The front and rear Walls 11 and 12 of the manifold are united by means of a plurality of members 13 formed integrally with the manifold and extending up into the area of the cross drum. These members may be either of solid construction, as shown, or of open web construction. The members 13 form partitions between each vertical series of tubes and therefore act to induce complete and .rapid circulation in `each individual series of tubes. The serpentine form of thepar'titions 13 not only acts to conform to the staggered arrangement of the tubes bu't tends to comlxnsate for expansion in the manifold. y extending into the area of the drum 6 thesemembers 13 serve to reinforce the walls of the drum and the manifold and prevent strains being caused at their juncture. This protects the manifold and drum from fracture due to uneven expansion.

The heatin or circulating tubes are'inend of the inclined return drum of the still its downwardly projecting parallel spaced Walls 11 and .12 forming a rear mamfold.

` boiler may settle therein. The cross chambers of both headersand the sediment chamber are provided with removable end plates 16 which are adapted to be removed for the ready disposal of the solid matter which accumulates therein. An eduction or drawing ofi' pipe 17 is also provided for drawing off the residue from the settling drum of the rear header.

Suitable clean-out holes are provided in both the front and rear headers opposite the tubes 4 and for the customary purposes.

In forced evaporation in a boiler, and particularly in the distillation of oils having high boiling points in which the gravity of the oil is so reduced that the carbon will no longer be held in suspension, it is advantageous to employ forced circulation. This is of importance, particularly in distillation of hydrocarbons, as under its Inormal slow circulation the'heavy carbon is thrown down 95 to the heating surfaces where it becomes hardened, causing the tubes to sag and burn. To meet these conditions, both jets and propellers have been located in the leg or manifolds of boilers or stills. Such a location, however, of the circulating device is apt to localize the circulation of the fluid through the tubes in close proximity to such circulating means, which causes the liquid to have a different speed of circulation vin the different tubes with a consequent difference in the temperature of the liquid. `I n some instances, the liquid is apt to return through the tubes themselves instead of the return drum, a localized circulation being set up. In the present invention the means for producing a forced circulation is placed directly in the return drum sulliciently far away from the manifolds to obtain free distribution of the liquid through the tubes. '115A The circulation in the present structure is further controlled by the vertical divisions or partitions between the tubes. The circulating means herein disclosed consists of a propeller 18 located approximately 'in the 120 `center of the return drum and carried -upon a rotary shaft- 19 mounted in a bearing 20. The shaft 19 passesthrough a stuffing `box 21 carriedby a flanged plate 22, in turn supported by the rear header. This shaft 1,25 is adapted for rotation by meansnot illus-I `trated to impel the liquid from the upper to the lowerfend of the return drum.

Extending theY length `of the drum and in contiguity to its bottom, is a wall.23 ,of tire bricks which fill the space between the bottom of the drum and the upper row of tubes. This wall serves to prevent too intense heating of the central portion of the drum, reflecting the greater portion of the heat received back toward the tubes.

The furnace structure provides support for the still by the front wall 2l carrying the mounting 25, the rear end of the still being carried by a suitable anti-friction means 26 on the rear wall 27 in such a manner as to provide for expansion of the still.

` An intermediate wall 28 provides for proper circulation of gases from the fire box 29 to the flue 30.

Vhile the present 'structure is adapted for the efficient evaporation of any liquid, it is essentially designed to operateat the high temperatures and pressures necessary for the distillation of crude oil, and for this purpose it is operated with the oil at a sufficiently high level to completely fill the longitudinally inclined drum, and Ithe greater portion of the transverse front header drum, the level of oil being shown during operationby means of test cocks 31 or other suitable level indicator, located in the front header drum. Owing to the fact that the horizontally inclined drum is completely filled withthe circulatin mass of fluid, its temperature is only slig tly below that of the tubes, and, consequently, there is little difference in expansion between the longitudinal drum and the tubes, and the structure is thereby relieved from heavy mechan'ical strains. The separate circulating passages provided for each series of tubes in the headers, tend to maintain a complete circulation lthrough all of the tubes, and, as already stated, the front header or manifold having a full area opening directly into the cross drum providesready means for the free disengagement of the gases from the liquid as they rise from the tubes into the header. The propeller may be used to induce a downward circulation from the front header to the rear header through the horizontally inclined drum, thereby maintaining a more uniform degree of heat in the drum and tubes and, by inducing a more rapid circulation preventing deposition of carbon.

The lpropeller also functions to decrease the pressure slightly in the liquid in the front transverse drum and header, and thereby aiding the passage of volatile portions of the same into the dome. v

The use of stay-bolts is entirely avoided and the serpentine webs which are used instead of them, are proof against -breakage by shearing or other causes.

The particular embodiment of my invention shown is of course susceptible of considerable variation without departing from the spirit of my invention, and itis to be understood that many changes may be made into said cross drums andintegral therediate said partitions, and a return drum connecting said cross drums.

2. A liquid vaporizer having front and rear headers, said headers comprising cross drums and connected manifolds, said manifolds having a series of partitions forming unrestricted passages between said cross drums and manifolds, a series of tubes connecting said manifolds at points intermediate said partitions, a return drum connecting said cross drums, and a liquid impelling device located in said return drum.

3. A liquid vaporizer having front and rear headers, said headers comprising cross drums and connected manifolds, a return drum connecting said cross drums, said manifolds having a series of partitions forming unrestricted passages between said cross drums and manifolds, a series of tubes connecting said manifolds at points intermediate said partitions, a propeller located in said return drum, and means whereby said propeller may be driven.

4. A liquid vaporizer having front and rear headers, said headers comprising cross drums and connected manifolds, said mani- 'unrestricted passages between said drums and manifolds, a series of tubes connecting said manifolds at points intermediate said partitions, the cross A drum of said front leader forming a vaporizing s ace, a declining return drum connecting tie front cross drum with the cross drum of the rear header andadapted to be filled with liquid to a point in proximity to said vaporizing space, and a propeller located in said return drum in proximity to said vaporizing space, and means whereby said propeller may be driven.

5. In a liquid vaporizer, a header comprising an integral cross drum, a manifold integrally connected thereto, said manifold being provided with a `series of integral `partitions, said partitions extending into said cross drum and integrally connected therewith. l

6. In a liquid vaporizer, a header comprising integral cross drums, a manifold integrali connected therebetween, said manifol being provided with a series of integral partitions, said partitions extending with.

.7. In a liquid vaporizer, a header comprising an integral cross drum, and a manifold integrally connected therewith, said manifold being provided with a series of single partitions integral with said mani- -fold and forming unrestricted passages between said cross drum and said manifold.

8. In a liquid vaporizer, a header comprising a cross drum and manifold, said manifold having a series of partitions extending into said cross drum and attached thereto so as to form tie members across the opening therebetween.

9. In a liquid vaporizer, a header comprising cross drums and a manifold theres.v between, said manifold 'having a series of partitions extending into said cross drums and attached thereto so as to form tie members across the openings between said drums and manifold.

10. In a liquid vaporizer, al header comprising a cross drum and a manifold, a series of partitions forming unrestricted passages between said cross drum and manifold and extending into said cross drum and attached thereto so as to form tie members across the opening therebetween, said manifold being provided with openings at points intermediate said partitions adapted to form fluid passages in communication therewith.

11. In aliquid Vaporizer, a header com prising a cross drum and manifold, said cross drum being of greater length and diameter than .the width and the thickness of said manifold, said manifold having a series of -partitions forming unrestricted passages between said cross drumand said manifold and extending into said cross drum .and attached. thereto so as to form tie members across the opening therebetween, said manifold being provided with openings at points intermediate said partitions adapted to form fluid passages in communication therewith.

In testimony thereof I have hereunto set my hand.

VICTOR LEE EMERSON. 

